“Always tell the truth.”
The founders of a men’s organization created a talisman made from red leather to serve as a “mark” of the successful completion of its New Warrior Training Adventure (NWTA), which is an experiential men’s weekend retreat. Strangely, after 36 years, four members of this organization made false and misleading claims that the talisman ritual was appropriated from Native American culture and demanded that it be eliminated from the NWTA.
A Talisman is an object, typically an inscribed ring or stone, that is thought to have magical powers and to bring good luck. It is also known as a charm, amulet, fetish, mascot, totem, idol, juju, and phylactery. (Oxford Dictionary Online)
The purpose of a talisman: (from this man’s Eastern European culture)
It is a focusing agent.
All of our dependencies, our habits and fears, are merely tricks of the mind.
The Talisman reminds the brain to turn off the tricks and turn on the truths.
What follows are some truths and some tricks:
One of the most common reasons for receiving a talisman is by way of an initiation. Historically, rituals of initiation are present in almost every culture, typically when boys and girls “come of age.” The initiation is often about learning to be a responsible adult. As the initiatory “journey” ends, the participant is “marked” to indicate a successful transition. Every culture has it’s unique mark of initiation. The most common forms are:
a tattoo, a ritual scarring, knocking out a tooth (usually by an elder), circumcision, and a talisman.
The talisman, as a mark of initiation, has its origins in the Middle East, specifically ancient Egypt and Babylon and also in India. It is also very common in the European cultures. However, it is rarely found in Native American cultures.
The only objects that may be related to a talisman in Native American culture are a dream catcher and a medicine bag. The Lakota do not use or wear a talisman, unless they attended a New Warrior Training Adventure (NWTA).
In January of 2021, four men made knowingly false and misleading accusations to the Leader Body of the ManKind Project (MKP) using a long list of alleged cultural appropriations. The presentation was considered toxic and removed from circulation by the MKP Board of Directors. https://spiritprotect.org
For “proof” of one of their outrageous claims, they showed a comparison photo of the NWTA Talisman and something that was made of rawhide. Moreover, the presentation alleged these were “Shoshone” medicine bags and therefore, because The Red Talisman “looked like” something Native American, it must have been an appropriation.
A co-leader sought out a Shoshone Medicine Man and inquired about the “talisman issue.” He was told that Shoshone people do not use talismans, and that they carry those qualities within themselves. https://spiritprotect.org
It’s absolutely clear and unambiguous that the Red Talisman is not part of Native American culture, but actually from Indo-European and Middle Eastern cultures. However, it should be noted that a talisman, somewhat similar to the one received on a NWTA can be purchased in a Voodoo Occult store in the French quarter of New Orleans as well as on Etsy.
No one is accusing the owners of this store or Etsy of cultural appropriation.
The culture of the Red Talisman and its ritual, uniquely created and copyrighted in the NWTA, has been cleansed from this training, at the request of the US Leader body. It is a fantasy, lie, and confabulation that the talisman ceremony and the talisman received on a NWTA was appropriated from anyone, let alone from the Lakota. That best explains why no equivalent replacement has yet to be offered.
Four men intentionally presented falsehoods, disguised as data, that implied the founders of the NWTA knew they were appropriating Native American culture in the design of the NWTA. Against the overwhelming weight of evidence to the contrary, the Board of MKPus chose to cleanse the NWTA of anything, that in their mistaken belief, appears to be Native American. Thus, the Talisman, which is not indigenous to Native American culture is eliminated because four men say it “looks like” something from Native American cultures. (mind boggling)
The Board’s actions illustrate a classic example of a lack of understanding of the difference between intent and impact. Or, they cut off their noses to spite their respective faces.
What is the impact? What can men do?
It’s clear that a great injustice has been perpetrated on each and every member of the Mankind Project, by the very men entrusted to lead and manage this organization. These are bright men. Some are our good friends. Do we give them a free pass because of so called “good intentions?” Will you trust your son’s life with men who lie and promote falsehoods to achieve their personal agendas?
With respect to the four men who made the false presentation, who lied to the leader body, a suspension from leading or staffing a NWTA is clearly in order. The MKP mechanism for such infractions is a peer review of these men.
It’s clear the MKPus Board asserted knowingly false allegations to cleanse the NWTA of anything that resembles Native American culture. Why was this issue not presented to the entire MKPus community for consensus, which is a method MKP uses for decision making? Because it would fail.
With respect to MKPus Board changing the NWTA, unilaterally, without notice or hearing to the centers, the MKPuss Board has essentially breached its Unification Agreement with the centers. Such action, especially one based on lies and misrepresentations, makes the Unification Agreement voidable.
Now is the time for the US communities to resist the misguided conduct of the MKPus Board and conduct their NWTA, as it was designed. Now is the time for the US Communities to hold a Council to challenge the MKPus Board on each and every lie and falsehood about cultural appropriation, especially those that led to the changes in the NWTA. Then, and only then, will there be an honest resolution to the false and misleading claims of cultural appropriation.
It’s time to reject the changes to the NWTA that MKPus made, just like the rest of the international Network of New Warriors appears to have done.
Turn off these tricksters and turn on the truth.
drjimmy
05/21/2023